Stronger for the goodwill of men
by Grace58
Summary: I always wanted to see Angela stand up to Jordan and have him respect her for that.  And don't worry I am completely for Jordan and Angela being together. Rated T just in case, this if my first story I'm so excited!
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any character from My So Called Life.

I am assuming the summer stated shortly after the letter incident.

_Two and a half months after the letter…._

Angela's POV: So I have spent the summer helping my mom at the print shop, hanging out with Ricky, Sharon and of course with Jordan Catalono. Everyday it's the same routine: work with mom from 7:00 till 1:00, call Ricky and Sharon, and lastly getting in Jordan's car never knowing where we will end up.

I am still head over heels in love with Jordan Catalono; but lately I have questioned his love or lack of for me. I never am given an option of what we do; it's always going to the loft to hear the band, go ride around, or park in the school parking lot to make-out. At first I did not mind doing the same old thing over and over, but now I think we need to break out of our bubble. I want to have the courage to take a stand and say 'no tonight I think we should go out to dinner,' but I am so scared that he will leave me, I sit like an obedient girlfriend and don't complain. The only thing that has improved is Jordan's constant obsession with sex, which of course only makes me question his reasoning. Is he getting it from someone else? What would make him suddenly stop trying to have sex with me? I mean we do other stuff like making out and I let unbutton my shirt and all. But, he is still Jordan freaking Catalono and his sex drive has obviously not just dried up.

Jordan did admit to not writing the letter, the night I got into his car and watched Brian get smaller and smaller. Thank goodness two weeks after the letter debacle, Brian was accepted into a photography internship at Florida State University. He will return in three days and I have no clue as to what I will say to him. I thought about writing him a letter, but I figured that would be way too ironic.

As far as Rayanne is concerned, I think I have forgiven her. I mean I have been extremely busy this summer and honestly did not have time to see her. She has called a few times and we talk mostly about all the gossip. She told me that she has been seeing a new guy from a high school across town. He sounds nice and supports her sobriety, so I think she is finally turning into a more reasonable person. She never did have much self-confidence; though she acted as she did, it was all an act. She told me that she stopped braiding her hair, took a few of her piercings out, and starting buttoning her shirts so her bra did not show. For the first time since I have known Rayanne she seems to wanting to think about the future and wanting a better life. I know that she literally broke my heart by sleeping with Jordan; but I like to think of that as the old Rayanne, and I hope I can be better friends with the new Rayanne.

So my summer is almost over, and my junior will start in five short days, hopefully it will be as adventuress as my sophomore year.

The remainder of the story will have dialog from the characters as their junior year begins.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own MYSL

**Chapter 2: **

September 1995: The first day of junior year at Liberty High

Angela POV: So today is the first day back at school and what should be an exciting day feels more like I've been sentenced to a life term at the Pittsburg Women's Prison. First of all I have yet to see Brian, second I am totally unsure about my friendship with Rayanee, and lastly I still feel like Jordan Catalono's puppet. Maybe puppet is too strong a word, I mean he does open the car door for me and he is making an effort with my parents. But, we have yet to have a "real" date. So my prison sentence begins….maybe I will be let out on parole for good behavior.

"Angela," Patty yelled at her daughter, "Jordan is here to give you a ride to school."

"Coming," Angela yells back, giving once last glance over her outfit decision: jeans, her new t-shirt with a small peace sign in the corner, and her Doc Martin boots, "perfect" she says quietly to herself.

Angela flies down the stairs, almost knocking her mother down. "Sorry mom," she says as she examines her mother to make sure she is okay.

"Angela, I need you to help me at the shop after school today," her mother asks with pleading eyes.

"Mom you promised it would just be for the summer, besides I have really important things to do after school," of course those things mainly consisted of making out with Jordan and hopefully telling him I am ready for a "real" date.

"Like what," her mother asked, giving her an 'I know you are lying kind of look.'

"I'm sure I will have like tons of homework, I mean I am a junior now; besides I've already talked to dad and he said I could work on my homework with Jordan, and then just hang out for a while."

"Fine, but I will expect you to help me out a couple of days during the week" Patty stated in a way only a mother could.

"Whatever, Jordan is waiting I have to go" Angela says as she walks out the door glaring at her mother as if to say I really hate you right now.

Angela practically runs right into him, looking up she notices how tan he has gotten over the summer. It just makes her crave him more. Kissing him is like being in the middle of a wind storm, everything blowing all around you; and me and Jordan in the middle lost in own world. This is going to be harder than I thought.

"Hey," Jordan casually says to his girlfriend.

"Hey," Angela says back not breaking eye contact.

As he brings her in for a kiss, she realizes that she can smell his soap and its makes her melt. If a person's scent can bring that much desire for one person, just imagine what a little romance could do for a relationship, Angela thinks as Jordan breaks their kiss.

Jordan opens the door and Angela slides into the passenger seat.

Angela looks around his car and realizes how different they really are. He has packs of empty cigarette cartons on the floor of his back seat, he doesn't even own a bookbag, and there is a bag with a change of clothes. I always assumed that these were Jordan's vices and I just had to find his virtues. Which by the way I have, he is the most amazing kisser on the entire planet, and he does have a good heart. And besides the cigarettes don't really bother me, and I'm sure in the long run carrying a heavy bookbag will harm your back later in life. But the bag of clothes is what scares me the most, to not be sure if you will have a safe bed to sleep in at night is sad and terrifying. But Jordan would never show these emotions, he prefers to hide them deep down and pretend like his home is a shelter from the storm.

Jordan breaks her train of thought as he takes her hand, she watches him as he drives them to school and all she can do is smile. She once again locks her feelings about their relationship back into her heart. Why love just can't be simple will always be a mystery, she thinks to herself.

"Angela, we're here," Jordan says as he pulls into the school parking lot.

"Oh good, I can't wait" Angela says sarcastically.

Jordan looks at Angela, suspiciously and says "I don't get it; you always seemed to enjoy school, now your sounding like it's the worst place on earth."

"I just have a lot on my mind, OKAY, so let's just get this over with," she says with an angery undertone as she starts walking towards the double doors of Liberty High.

"Wait, I want to know why you're acting like this," Jordan says almost pleading.

"I'm just unsure about the future of some of the relationships in my life, okay." she says, hoping he won't press her any further.

"Okay, fine, whatever, I'm going to my locker and to see if the guys are here yet," he says as he walks down the halls, not even looking back at her.

"Fine, I need to find Ricky anyway," Angela answered back, he gave her exactly what she wanted by not investigating further into her sour mood, yet it made her feel alone at the same time. Sometimes being a teenager absolutely sucked! She thought to herself.

"ANGELA," Ricky screamed from the down the hall.

"Hey Ricky," she said enthusiastically, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"So I just saw Jordan standing in front of his locker, he looked a little down, did you guys have a fight or something?" Ricky asks pulling Angela into the bathroom.

"No, he's mad because I did not want to tell him about why I'm so not ready to come back to school today," she explains as she is checking the stalls to make sure no one is there.

"So, why are you upset about returning to this most humble establishment we call Liberty High," Ricky asks with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"I just don't think I'm ready to face Brian and Rayanne. I mean, I haven't seen them all summer and I basically left both relationships with no resolutions. The last time I saw Brian he was riding his bike in circles, as I left with Jordan. I can't believe I did that, Brian had basically just expressed his deep feeling for me, and what do I do, I get in the car with Jordan. I know that I don't feel the same way, but I should have said something. And by the time I decide to talk to him, his mother informs that he's left for the entire summer."

"Angela, look I wasn't going to tell you this, but Brian has been writing me all summer. He practically begged me not to tell you, but I think you should know. Brian met someone in Florida, I think he really likes her; because his first few letters always ended with 'How's Angela doing?', but then the letters stopped asking about you and just focused on this girl he met at a party," Ricky tried to explain with a softness in his voice.

"Look, first off Brian Krakow doesn't go to parties, second I'm glad he met someone, it lets me off the hook. Now Brian and I can go back to the way we were before," she says firmly.

"Angela, your friendship with Brian consisted of him obsessing over you constantly, and you not seeing it, the cats out of the bag, Brian once had feeling for you, and now he has found a new object of desire," Ricky bluntly states.

Just as Angela is about to give a rebuttal to Ricky's statement, another strained relationship breezes through the bathroom door.

"Hey," Rayanne says quietly, unsure of what the next move should be.

"Hey," Ricky says as walks up and gives her a peck on the lips.

"Hey," Angela says unsure where to look.

"So I guess Krakow is back, I just saw him leaving the Guidance Counselor's office," Rayanne says trying to ease the extreme visible tension in the small bathroom.

Angela looks at Rayanne and thinks about Brian walking around the halls and the pressure of dealing with it all is too much. She runs out of the bathroom hoping her first period class will be a Jordan, Brian, and Rayanne free zone. She just needs time to think about each conversation, and make sure that she gets it right, this may be her last chance after all, to have it all.

Hope you enjoy it, I know I am all over the place, but I promise to bring more cohesiveness in the following chapters.


End file.
